Winston Salem RoadRunners – 7.16.14 (German National Soccer Team)

Winston Salem RoadRunners – 7.16.14 (German National Soccer Team)

It was another great night with the Winston Salem RoadRunners! The group of five boys that I am working with are really doing a great job. With the age ranges from 11-16, it is really impressive how they can focus during savasana. As much as we are working to increase flexibility, strength and start to gain a sense of balance through understanding their center of gravity, the ability to focus is extremely important at their age. They have a track meet this weekend and I’m really interested and excited to see how they do. Hopefully I can report back after our class on Sunday that they noticed some differences either with their flexibility (prevent injuries before and after races), strength (increase in 50m, 100m relays) and have a better sense of their body in the starting blocks. Taking yoga to athletes is a big passion of mine and I’m extremely excited that the Winston Salem RoadRunners have partnered with Yoga Mindset and allowed me to work with the boys. Can’t wait to hear how this weekend goes! Last class we brought up Calvin Johnson and how the Detroit Lions use yoga with their players for the above reasons. Tonight we talked about the German Men’s National Soccer Team. Check out the article below and the meditation we used tonight. Thanks for reading!

Balance – the state of having your weight spread evenly so as not to fall.
Balance poses, like tree, eagle and others, strengthen your lower legs and hone your proprioception so you grow more aware of where you body is in space. The poses also teach a more subtle awareness of your body’s center of gravity in different positions.
In yoga, you’ll move the body through every available direction. Sometimes you’ll be standing, sometimes you’ll be upside down. Your perspectives will change, and you’ll get a fuller sense of your body and what it can do.
Sports are goal-oriented. In your workouts, games and races, you aim to cover a distance, to achieve a time, to beat the competition, or to reach a certain speed or heart rate – doing something. Yoga instead emphasizes the process – being in the present moment. Think of it as a mental recovery workout.